remanded
EB-2 NIW
remanded EB-2 NIW Case: Unspecified
Decision Summary
The appeal was rejected as it was untimely filed, received 34 days after the decision was issued, exceeding the 33-day limit. Per regulations, the AAO treated the untimely appeal as a motion to reconsider and returned the case to the service center director to make a new decision on that basis.
Criteria Discussed
Timeliness Of Appeal
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identifying data deleted m -. -- prevent clesrlj. ln warranted invasion of personal privacy U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office ofAdministrative Appeals MS 2090 Washington, DC 20529-2090 U.S. Citizenship and Irnmigration Services Office: TEXAS SERVICE CENTER Date: JUL 0 9 2010 IN RE: PETITION: Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker as a Member of the Professions Holding an Advanced Degree or an Alien of Exceptional Ability Pursuant to Section 203(b)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. $ 1 153(b)(2) ON BEHALF OF PETITIONER: SELF-REPRESENTED INSTRUCTIONS : Enclosed please find the decision of the Administrative Appeals Office in your case. All of the documents relited to this matter have been returned to the office that originally decided your case. Please be advised that any further inquiry that you might have concerning your case must be made to that office. If you believe the law was inappropriately applied by us in reaching our decision, or you have additional information that you wish to have considered, you may file a motion to reconsider or a motion to reopen. The specific requirements for filing such a request can be found at 8 C.F.R. 5 103.5. All motions must be submitted to the office that originally decided your case by filing a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, with a fee of $585. Please be aware that 8 C.F.R. 5 103.5(a)(l)(i) requires that any motion must be filed within 30 days of the decision that the motion seeks to reconsider or reopen. Thank you, erry Rhew Chief, Administrative Appeals Office Page 2 DISCUSSION: The Director, Texas Service Center, denied the immigrant visa petition. The matter is now before the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) on appeal. The appeal will be rejected as untimely filed. The AAO will return the matter to the director for consideration as a motion to reconsider. In order to properly file an appeal, the regulation at 8 C.F.R. tj 103.3(a)(2)(i) provides that the affected party must file the complete appeal within 30 days of after service of the unfavorable decision. If the decision was mailed, the appeal must be filed within 33 days. See 8 C.F.R. tj 103.5a(b). The date of filing is not the date of mailing, but the date of actual receipt. See 8 C.F.R. tj 103.2(a)(7)(i). The record indicates that the director issued the decision on October 14, 2009. It is noted that the director properly gave notice to the petitioner that it had 33 days to file the appeal. Although the petitioner dated the appeal November 14, it was postmarked November 16, 2009 and received by the director on November 17,2009,34 days after the decision was issued. Accordingly, the appeal was untimely filed. Neither the Act nor the pertinent regulations grant the AAO authority to extend the 33-day time limit for filing an appeal. As the appeal was untimely filed, the appeal must be rejected. Nevertheless, the regulation at 8 C.F.R. tj 103.3(a)(2)(v)(B)(2) states that, if an untimely appeal meets the requirements of a motion to reopen or a motion to reconsider, the appeal must be treated as a motion, and a decision must be made on the merits of the case. A motion to reopen must state the new facts to be proved in the reopened proceeding and be supported by affidavits or other documentary evidence. 8 C.F.R. tj 103.5(a)(2). A motion to reconsider must state the reasons for reconsideration and be supported by any pertinent precedent decisions to establish that the decision was based on an incorrect application of law or Service policy. A motion to reconsider a decision on an application or petition must, when filed, also establish that the decision was incorrect based on the evidence of record at the time of the initial decision. 8 C.F.R. tj 103.5(a)(3). A motion that does not meet applicable requirements shall be dismissed. 8 C.F.R. 5 103.5(a)(4). Here, the untimely appeal meets the requirements of a motion to reconsider. The official having jurisdiction over a motion is the official who made the last decision in the proceeding, in this case the service center director. See 8 C.F.R. tj 103.5(a)(l)(ii). Therefore, the director must consider the untimely appeal as a motion to reconsider and render a new decision accordingly. ORDER: The appeal is rejected. The matter is returned to the director for consideration as a motion to reconsider.
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